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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22367035">My Red Hope.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinaMariaRose/pseuds/SinaMariaRose'>SinaMariaRose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sarah Lives AUs. [TWDG] [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Apocalypse, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, BAMF Sarah, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Loss of Parent(s), Minor Aasim/Ruby (Walking Dead: Done Running), Minor Canonical Character(s), Minor Clementine/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Platonic Soulmates, Polyamory, Protective Clementine (Walking Dead), Queerplatonic Relationships, Red String of Fate, Romantic Soulmates, Sharing a Bed, Sister-Sister Relationship, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Zombie Apocalypse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:35:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22367035</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinaMariaRose/pseuds/SinaMariaRose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Clementine had many soulmates, but only one had the red string around her pinky. The string was long, very long, so she never dared to follow. </p><p>At least, until she had nothing worth losing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clementine &amp; Sarah (Walking Dead: All That Remains)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sarah Lives AUs. [TWDG] [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Reluctant Open Door.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the stranger pulled the trigger of Clementine's gun that day, she didn't just lose Omid. In every way that mattered, Christa was buried in the dirt beside him; just a walking husk.</p>
<p>Omid's name, that had been marked right across Clementine's leg (that same leg and place where Omid had gotten injuried just a year ago), had burned away. Not immediately, not fast. It was slow, starting right when Omid was buried and the moment Clementine tried to close her eyes for sleep.</p>
<p>The whole night was spent alone, muffling her pained crying and watching his name disappear. This was the first time she ever actually brought herself to watch a mark disappear.</p>
<p>She felt the pain of her parents' marks burning the day Duck died, hidden and buried underneath the pain of feeling the small, yellow duck on her wrist burn away. That was the day she nearly accepted that her parents were most likely dead, but it was right around that time the Stranger had contacted her again.</p>
<p>She was so desperate, choosing to believe a Stranger over what her parents' souls were telling her. She was childish, and pathetic, and dumb and that was why she deserved to watch Lee's nickname for her--Sweetpea, jagged and scrawled in his exact handwriting above her heart--simply turn into an everlasting scar.</p>
<p>She felt bad for the person with the violet flower, curling and glowing purple across her collarbones. She felt bad for the owner of the tiny brown handprint, marking her left cheek. She felt bad for the speaker of "you're not dead, that's good" plastered against her palm in a bright green.</p>
<p>She felt bad for anyone who had to call her one of their soulmates. At least the one with the red string was lucky; she could just avoid ever following it, and they'd never have to look her in the eyes.</p>
<p>Many months later, she held onto that belief, right up until she was separated from her only protecter and chased into the woods. She still clung to it, when the dog ripped her arm open. She held onto it until two men, who she'd later come to know as Luke and Pete, picked her up and carried her after the trail that they couldn't see. </p>
<p>She could refuse them: kick them, fight them, and run. Then she'd be alone, and she'd die from infection before she even got anywhere in her search for Christa. </p>
<p>However, despite all odds, Clementine didn't want to die: the only way she was going out was from a bite, or if someone else pulls the trigger.</p>
<p>Doing the deed herself would be a last restort. That was the promise she made: sitting on that log with an empty gun in hand, tracing <em>Sweetpea </em>over and over: numb to the blood that coated her fingertips. </p>
<p>Clutching her arm, sending a silent apology to the poor person on the other end of the string,  she allowed herself to be carried down the path Fate had always intended for her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Is This Real?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Despite popular belief, saving a stranger's life doesn't mean you're suddenly BFFs. </p><p>In which Sarah breaks the rules to try and get to know the new girl but ends up having to prepare for an emotionally exhausting night.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Carlos told her to stay away from Sarah, Clementine didn't hesitate to agree. If things went her--and Rebecca's--way, she'd be gone by early morning.</p><p>Clementine was in the middle of setting up her bed on the living room couch when Sarah came downstairs, holding a book close to her chest. Clementine pauses her movements, silently watching the other girl.</p><p>She watches as Sarah looks around, obviously looking for someone. It wasn't hard for Clementine to realize that she was looking for Carlos; it's more than likely that Sarah still had a bedtime.</p><p>For a moment, Clem considers lying down and pretending to be asleep. She'd gotten good at pretending when she was still with Christa, and Clementine has a feeling Sarah wouldn't try to disturb her slumber. The older girl seemed like the type of person to feel extremely guilty if she so much as gave someone a weird look.</p><p>However, somewhere deep inside, a whisper of a voice sprung to the forefront of her mind; chiding her for even considering it. </p><p>"Don't you remember your manners, young lady? Did I teach you nothing?"</p><p>Clementine would say that the voice sounded like her mother, but the truth was that she couldn't remember what her mother's voice sounded like. It was slipping away from her grasp long before she figured out what actually happened to her parents. </p><p>Lee would always assure her that it wasn't her fault; that the past few months had been very taxing for a child of her age. It wasn't everyday a girl would be separated from her parents while an outbreak was going on; even less so when those months were spent running for her life or worrying about food. </p><p>"Clem!"</p><p>The young girl's thoughts halt with an abrupt screech, and Clementine couldn't stop the violent flinch of her body. Her hand is already half way inside her pocket when she rememers that Pete had taken anything that could be used as a weapon from her. </p><p>Even so, Clementine couldn't stop the glare from forming; and she could already hear the echoes of Christa's lectures in the back of her mind. </p><p>"Sarah!" The hiss escapes before Clementine can stop it. The browned hair girl's hands clench into fists, but that doesn't stop them from shaking. "Be quite! Do you WANT someone to hear you?!"</p><p>"Oops!" Sarah whispers, hurrying her way over to the couch; bouncing a bit as she sat down. Usually, Clementine would've thought that Sarah was mocking her paranoia; but the small, sheepish smile on her lips and the wide brown eyes peering at her from behind red glasses seem genuine. If Clementine was honest, everything about Sarah seemed genuine. "Daddy would be so mad if he heard me!"</p><p>Clementine blinks. Once. Twice. </p><p>Her Dad? Carlos? Slowly, almost like she was just waking up from a nightmare, Clementine became more and more aware of the brown, wooden walls of the cabin surrounding them. The roof above her head, the sounds of the crackling fireplace somehow only just reaching her ears. </p><p>Right. Of course. Walkers and bandits can't hear through walls. Clementine was in a house, a cabin, and no one besides the other people inside could hear her or see her. </p><p>A shaky, surprised breath escapes her; sounding like the whimper of a dying dog (and boy, did Clementine know all too well what that sounded like) on its way out. She made a blind grap towards the couch, she misses and frantically grabs on to the sleeve of Sarah's jacket instead. </p><p>(Why was she wearing a jacket inside? When Pete had set up that fire? Wasn't she feeling overheated or smothered?)</p><p>"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Sarah gives what looks like an apologetic smile, already scooting down the couch to make room for Clementine; only to immediately stop when the younger girl tightens her grip on Sarah's jacket. Sarah stares at her, wide eyed, but Clementine's eyes were downcast; staring intently at Sarah's hand. Slowly, almost like talking to a startled animal, Sarah spoke: "Clementine? Is something wrong?"</p><p>"Is this real?" The question escapes her lips, and it sounds so desperate that Clementine can barely resist the urge to cringe away from the sound of her own voice; caught up in her own world, she didn't hear the shock gasp that escaped Sarah. Not even the way Sarah clutched her shoulder, a thousand questions turning behind the older girl's eyes. </p><p>It was ridiculous. She could kill walkers without a thought, kill dogs and push bandits into becoming walker food. She watched countless people die, some on her behalf, and she could sow her own arm up in a shed: starting all at the age of eight.</p><p>And yet, somehow, the idea that she would be sleeping in a house --instead of a makeshift bed in the woods that amounted only to a hard backpack as a pillow and her own clothes for warmth--is what tripped her up. What made her doubt. </p><p>"Yes?" The confusion makes it's way into her tone, and gulit immediately washes over her when the younger girl's expression crumbles. Sarah's eyes widen a bit, and she tugs Clem closer; leading the other girl into the seat beside her. She tries again, trying to force her tone into something more confident. "Um--yes. Yeah, Clementine. This isn't a dream."</p><p>Clementine stares at the other girl, uncertain. </p><p>"Clementine, this is real. I promise." Sarah slowly reaches out, gently grabbing Clementine's smaller hand into her own. Clementine doesn't meet Sarah's eyes, instead staring in disbelief at their overlaying hands, but Sarah smiles at her anyway. </p><p>"You aren't..out there. Not anymore. You're in the cabin, sitting with me in front of the fireplace. No one will hurt you..and you're safe."</p><p>Clementine lips slowly part, a sharp breathe escaping her. Her eyes slowly narrow at their hands, her eyes glistening with tears as her bottom lip quivers. </p><p>As a single tear skids down her cheek, the little girl let out a sob.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My love for Sarah, Clementine, the walking dead, soulmate aus, and their relationship all rolled up in one! </p><p>I'm spit balling most of the story, but it'll mainly focus on Sarah and Clementine's platonic relationship. I headcanon Sarah as asexual, but I do intend to explore romantic relationships with her. Those, however, will ride in backseat compared to her relationships with Clementine and AJ.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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